Surcingle



W. E. CARROLL SURCINGLE May 3, 1949.

Filed Sept. 4, 1947 Patented May 3, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SURCINGLE William Everett Carroll, Rockville, Md. Application September 4, 1947, Serial No. 772,177

2 Claims.

My invention relates to a surcingle or girth which makes it possible for a race horse to carry weight, in addition to that of the jockey, in the form of lead weights, said lead weights to be carried against the horses belly. This new method lowers the center of gravity of the lead weight that'is to be carried and places it farther forward giving the horse better stability and at the same time reduces the weight on the horse's back and kidneys. The present day method of carrying lead weight on arace horse is by means of a lead weight pad which is positioned on the horses back under the saddle. This method places fixed dead weight over the horses kidneys which are sensitive delicate organs and readily become bruised or injured. The'motion of a race horse running at high speed causes the lead pad to bounce up and down on the horses kidneys which tends to weaken the horse and consequently reduces his speed.

With the foregoing in view the objects of my invention are:

First, to provide a surcingle or girth which may be used to secure a saddle to a horses back for the purpose of racing.

Second, to provide a surcingle or girth which may be used to secure lead weights to a horse for the purpose of racing.

Third, to provide a surcingle or girth in which readily variable amounts of lead weight may be carried for the purpose of racing.

Fourth, to provide a surcingle or girth by means of which lead weight may be applied to a horse in the most advantageous place while racing.

Fifth, to provide a surcingle or girth by means of which lead weight may be positioned on a horse in a manner that will have no deleterious effect upon the horse while racing.

Sixth, to provide a surcingle or girth which is simple of construction and, in its use, durable, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the character of reference thereon which form a part of this application in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of the surcingle in its fully opened position, Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the surcingle in its folded position, Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional 2 view taken along the line 3+3 of Fig. 2, Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, and Figure 5 is a side elevation view illustrating the manner of positioning the surcingle on a horse and over the saddle.

Similiar character of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings:

The pocket member I, the strap 2, and the weights 3 constitute the principal parts and portions of my surcingle.

The pocket member I is substantially flat and rectangular in its opened position, as may be seen best in Fig. 1, is relatively thin in comparison with its overall dimensions; as seen best in Fig. 3, and is formed of a single flexible piece of material such as a woven fabric or leather. A plurality of pockets in which are positioned weights 3, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, is formed in the member I by folding over its two opposite edges Ia to the positions shown in Fig. 1 and by stitching these folded portion-s to the member I with thread along the lines I b as shown best in Fig. 1 and also as indicated in Figs. 2 and 4. In this manner of construction, a plurality of openings I0 is formed at the edges Ia and at the ends of the pockets so that weights 3 may be easily inserted therethrough and in the pockets. It will be noted from Figs. 1 and 3 that the pocket openings Ic face inwardly toward the centerline indicated by the line Id of the pocket member I. It will also be noted that when weights 3 are positioned within these pockets as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 and that when the pocket member I is folded as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 along the line Id, the weights 3 are completely and entirely encased within the member I. A plurality of snap members I e and I) is provided for securing the pocket member I in this folded position. These snap members he and If are shown positioned along the outward edges of the member I in Fig. 1, and consist of the female snaps If to receive the male snaps Ie. The manner of securing these snap members Ie to the member I is shown in Fig. 4. Although not shown in detail, the snap members If are secured to the member I in the same manner as the snap members le Shown in Fig. 4.

The strap member 2 shown in Figures 1, 2, and 5 may be integral with, and of the same piece of material as, the pocket member I, or it may be of a different, and preferably an elastic, material than the pocket member I and secured by its one end to the member I by thread stitching. To the other end of strap 2 is secured a pair of narrower straps 2a each of which is provided with a, plurality of holes 2b to receive the tongues In of buckles lg secured to the end of member I opposite to the strap 2.

The manner of use of my surcingle is illustrated. in Fig. 5 of the drawings. The pocket member I is opened out flat as shown in Fig. 1, and as many weights 3 as desired are positioned through openings la in the pockets of member I. The pocket member I is then folded along the line Id shown in Fig. 1 and secured in this folded position as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 by the snaps Ie and If. The entire surcingle is then positioned about the body of the horse by passing the strap 2 over the saddle and above the withers of the horse and by positioning the pocket member I with its weights 3 fully enclosed therein directly beneath and against the body of the horse. The surcingle is then secured in this position by passing the straps 2a through the buckles I g and by passing buckle tongues Ih through holes 2b in the conventional manner. As will be noted from Fig. 1, a plurality of holes 2b have been made in each strap 2a to permit adjustment of the surcingle about the body of the horse. It will also be noted that, by means of this surcingle, weights are carried beneaththe body of the horse instead of being carried on the horses back as is done by the conventional weight pads (not shown) placed on the horses back under the saddle. This surcingle also placesthe weight lower and farther forward on the hors'e. It will be further notedfromFig. 1.that, firstby folding. the half It of the pocket member I along line Id and over onto the other half If as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and then by placing the entire surcingle about the body of the horse as shown in Fig. 5 with the half I 1 next to the body of the horse and securing in this position by straps 2a and buckles lg as described hereinbefore and illustrated in Fig. 5, the pocket member I cannot be opened, and as a consequence, the Weights 3 cannot be removed or dropped from the surcingle or girth once it has been securely positioned upon the horse, as the weights 3 are fully and entirely encased by the pocket member I as previously described hereinbefore.

The surcingle or girth described above may be used without weights by simply omitting to place weights within the pocket member I and by folding the pocket member I and securing the surcingle or girth about the horse as described above.

Although I have shown and described a particular construction, combination, and arrangement of parts and portions, I do not wish to be limited to this particular construction, combination, and arrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention the construction, combination, and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a surcingle or girth, a pocket member and weight positioned therein. H 2. In a' surcingle or girth, a member divided into a plurality of pockets and weights positioned therein. r J g Y WILLIAM EVERETT CARROLL.

No referencescited. 

